VSH - Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas

What is a veterinary specialist?

Your veterinarian may recommend that your pet see a veterinary specialist just as your primary physician may suggest that you see a specialist to diagnose a puzzling problem or receive special treatment. Veterinarians who wish to specialize must fulfill requirements established under guidance of the American Veterinary Medical Association. After graduation from veterinary school a veterinarian must do an internship or equivalent private practice experience and a two to three year advanced training program, a residency. The final steps to certification are publication of original article(s) in peer reviewed scientific journals and passage of a rigorous examination (written, oral or practical) given by other specialists.

What are the hours of your Emergency Clinic?

What is considered an emergency?

You should have your pet examined by a veterinarian if you feel they are in pain or significant discomfort. Other problems which warrant an examination include sudden increases or decreases in thirst and urination or protracted vomiting and diarrhea. We are here so that you do not have to wait until morning, through the weekend, or over a holiday to seek help for your pet. You are the best judge of your pet’s condition since you will be able to pick up on subtle signs that others would miss.

What are some examples of emergency situations?

Pets that come to our emergency service have a wide variety of conditions, ranging from urgent care needs to life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

Examples of urgent care conditions include:

Infections – runny nose, coughing, swollen bite wounds, discharge from the ear
Allergic reactions
Minor trauma – limping, swollen and bruised limbs

Life-threatening conditions include:

Bleeding, fractures or internal injuries from being hit by a car
Ingesting a toxin such as antifreeze, rat poison, your medications or household cleaning products
Seizures or unconsciousness
Difficulty urinating in a male cat
Parvovirus infection in a dog (bloody diarrhea, vomiting, severe dehydration)

How long will I have to wait to be seen by the emergency doctor?

The emergency doctors see patients on a first come first serve basis if they don’t need immediate attention. The seriousness of your pet’s medical condition will also determine how rapidly the doctor will meet with you.

Upon arrival, a veterinary nurse or assistant will ask you a few questions and "triage" your pet by evaluating his or her breathing pattern, heart rhythm, and checking for the presence of fractures or other obvious injuries. Stabilizing your pet quickly is vitally important to ensuring the best care during a life-threatening situation, and your pet may be immediately taken to our ICU. Occasionally a patient that has arrived after you may need to be seen before your pet. Our goal is to provide quality care for all patients as quickly as possible.

I’ve come to your emergency service because my pet has a life-threatening condition…now what?

Pets with life-threatening conditions are brought immediately into our Intensive Care Unit. We understand that separating you from your pet may be very upsetting. We ask for your patience while we begin treatment. In these cases, the doctor will stabilize your pet before discussing the condition with you. Clients are not allowed into the Intensive Care Unit during this time unless requested to come back by the attending veterinarian. If your pet is hospitalized, you will be contacted by our doctors if your pet’s condition changes dramatically, day or night.

How much will it cost to have my pet treated for an emergency?

The front office staff can quote you our emergency examination fee. The emergency veterinarian will provide an oral +/- a written estimate for costs associated with diagnosing or treating any problems which have been noted. We require a deposit equal to the lower end of the estimate with the balance paid upon discharge for all hospitalized patients. Charges are entered twice daily on hospitalized patients and the front office staff gives updates once daily on the status of current charges. You can call at any time to see what the total charges are. (Please see the Our fees section for more information)

If my pet needs to stay overnight, what happens in the morning?

What is the difference between VSH's daytime Referral Clinic and Emergency Service?

What services are offered at the North Raleigh clinic?

How do I make an appointment?

VSH operates as a referral facility during the hours of 9 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday. Before making an appointment, your regular veterinarian should contact us to discuss the reason for referral and the results of any completed diagnostic procedures or tests. Our doctors believe it’s important to work closely with your doctor so that we’re fully informed. Your veterinarian will let us know whether you will call to make an appointment or our front office should call you. Please remember to bring medical records, laboratory results, and/or radiographs for your initial consultation.

If you do not have a regular veterinarian, please contact Jennifer Finn, our customer services manager in Cary at (919)233-4911 or jenniferf@vshcarolinas.com. In Raleigh, contact Kelly Sosna at (919)861-0109 or kellys@vshcarolinas.com.

We understand that your pet is an important member of your family and our goal is to see all patients within 24-48 hours of the referral. When your pet needs to be seen quickly and the specialist you wish to see is unavailable, another specialist or an emergency doctor may perform the initial examination, admit your pet, and transfer the case to the appropriate specialist at the earliest opportunity. This team approach ensures that the diagnosis and treatment of your pet can progress quickly.